Coaches Q & A - Paul Tucker

Box Hill United U/12 girls' head coach Paul Tucker features in this edition of our 'CoachesQ&A' series.

1) What is your coaching philosophy?

I coach to have an impact on all of the girls in my team, so that they have a passion for training and playing football. I hope that love for the game is sustainable well into their adulthood, regardless of whether they become Matildas or play community football – what matters is loving the game.

2) Favourite motivational quotes?

Two that I love are from two past US National Women’s Team and female football’s all time greatest players, Mia Hamm & Abby Wambach:

“The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking.” — Mia Hamm

“I have never once dribbled the whole field and scored a goal by myself.” — Abby Wambach

3) Any pre-game rituals that you do with your Box Hill United squad on a matchday?

For the girls to switch on in the dressing room, we play a quick concentration game of “head / catch” … And of course, a loud “3,2,1 Box Hill” before we leave the room as well as an extra one on the pitch before kick-off, to let the opposition know we’re United and ready!

4) Pizza or Souvlaki?

This is the hardest question you’ve asked, but it has to be a Wembley Park Souvlaki….

Thanks Phil & the canteen team!

5) Pet hates as a coach?

- Just don’t give up! Whether it be trying to master a new skill, or chasing down an opponent who seems too far away to catch – effort never goes unnoticed or unrewarded.